Combination clothes dryer, hair dryer, and auxiliary heater



mm W65 P. a LECHNER, JR., ET AL 3,269,3M

CLOTHES DRYER, HAIR DRYER, AND AUXILIARY HEATER COMBINATION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 16, 1964 Y A ml UL@ 52 53\ w Y 56 IMM' @ALM-1 C. HEBERT f Mmmm ec., 6 R9@ P. P. LECHNER, JR., ET AL- 312892333 COMBINATION CLOTHES DRYER, HAIR DRYER, AND AUXLIARY HEATER Filed Jan. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fgm ,f 53 l -lnmmmmmcxmmmm E" IN VEN T0125 WMUL Lf? LIECHNER JR. HAMM C. Llm' WTORMEV United States Patent O 3,289,313 CGMBINATION CLOTHES DRYER, HAIR DRYER, AND AUXILIARY HEATER Paul P. Lechner, Jr., 680 Farrington Drive, and Ralph C. Liebert, 580 Keyes Lane, both of Worthington, Ohio Filed Jan. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 338,263 8 Claims. (Cl. 34-48) This invention relates generally to heat chambers and particularly to a compact heat chamber that may be utilized as a combination clothes dryer, hair dryer and auxiliary heater.

There are many clothes dryers having various configurations and modes of operation that are commercially available. These dryers generally fall into three general categories: the home, the heavy industrial, and the commercial type, such as that found in laundromats. Each of these three types of dryer has been successful for its intended purpose. The present invention relates to dryers in what may be considered as another class of use-the very small or compact dryer especially adapted for use in motel rooms or house trailers.

In substantially every new motel or motor hotel being built-and most of those already built and in usepatrons are offered the use of a swimming pool. The use of the pool creates two major problems with the tenants, i.e., Wet bathing suit and, especially with the ladies, wet hair. Most motels provide some sort of plastic bag to place the bathing suit in While traveling. The suit is still wet nonetheless, must be packed, mildew forms, and further use of the suit is precluded. If the tenant is staying over another night in the motel, the wet suit is generally hung to dry in the bathroom.

With the Women users of the pools, the wet hair problem is just as critical. Most motels require the use of bathing caps for women-and many provide such caps which are made of inexpensive plastic material. But even with a cap a certain portion of the hair does get wet. Also, the covered portion of the hair acquires a considerable amount of moisture in one manner or another. The wet hair requires a drying period and then a resetting procedure.

The present invention is a heat chamber that is utilized as a combination clothes dryer, hair dryer, and may in some instances be used as an auxiliary heater such as for -a bathroom. This dryer is ad-apted for use in hotels, motels, house trailers and the such. The dryer of the invention, in addition to solving the wet hair problem, is intended for use on drying small items, i.e., bathing suits or small quantities of items such as socks and undergarments.y The dryer of the present invention, as illustrated hereinafter in the preferred embodiment, is not intended -to be used in -lieu of the dryers falling in the other three general categories mentioned above.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a new and improved clothes dryer type of heat chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heat chamber for a dryer that may be especially adapted -to the motel type of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heat chamber for a dryer that may also be utilized as a hair dryer and an auxiliary heater.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a front View and FIGURE 2 is a side View of a preferred embodiment of the invention with the -outside housing removed;

FIGURE 3 is another exploded view of the hair dryer attachment to the heat chamber;

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FIGURE 4 is a gear driven adjustment of the hair dryer attachment to the heat chamber; and

FIGURE 5 is the underside of the hot air exhaust tube for the hair dryer.

Referring now, very generally, to FIGURES l and 2, there is shown a preferred embodiment comprising an external structure or housing 10 having a moisture chamber in Ilower portion thereof and directly above an elongated heating element 20. In the central section of the housing 10 is the tumbler 30 adapted to receive the articles to be dried. In the upper portion of the housing 1t]` is the heat chamber 40. This chamber, in turn, comprises a motor 45 to drive its blower 47 and a thermostatic control 70 to control the heating element 20. Also, in accordance with the concepts of the present invention, the chamber 40 includes a hair `dryer vent 5()` having means to attach thereto a hot air hose 55. The chamber is otherwise closed on all sides except having an exhaust 60 operable to expel the hot air.

Specifically, the tumbler 30 is of a conventional dryer type and is supported on its side through its rotatable shaft 32 extending through the drive and clutch 23 to the housing 10. The drive and clutch is connected by suitable belts and other means to the motor 45 for power. In this manner the tumbler 30` is rotated to loosely pass the articles to be dried through the hot air directed from the heating element 20 to the heat chamber 45 by the blower 47. The clutch 23 serves to disengage t-he tumbler 30;

The heater 20` is conventional and may be either gas or electric. In a preferred embodiment the heater 20 comprises an elongated electrical element 21 having a plurality of transverse heat dissipators 22. The over-all heating element is secured in the housing 10` by means of the brackets 24 and 24a.A The heating element 21 is connected to a suitable voltage source 23. In the line between this voltage source 23 and the element 21 is the thermosta-tic control 70. This control measures the temperature in the chamber 40 and thereby turns ott and on the heating element 20` to maintain the temperature in the heat chamber 40 at a desired level. Situated directly over an opening in the bulkhead 11 is the blower 47 communicating with the heat chamber 40. The blower 47 is electrically driven by the motor 45 and in operation forces the hot air from the heater 20 upwardly through the tumbler 30 and into the heat chamber 40 from where it is exhausted through the opening 60. From the opening 60 the hot air may be exhausted by suitable piping into the atmosphere. Alternatively, this hot 'air may be exhausted into the living area.y The most practical utility of the dryer 4of the present invention will be in the bathroom; accordingly, the exhausted air may further serve to assist in heating the bathroom. Or again, in combination with the moisture chamber, the preferred embodiment is especially well suited t-o raising the humidity of the living area wit-hout causing outside air to enter.

The tumbler 30 has a front opening adapted to receive the clothing or other articles to be dried; and in a complete embodiment, the housing 10 will Iinclude a door to close the entry to the tumbler. The rotatable tumbler also conventionally may be of the wire basket type or have a large number of apertures to permit the passage of air through the articles being dried. To assist the passage of hot air and to confine the hot air to the turnbler region, baies 33 and 34 are included in the inner housing and adjacent to the tumbler.

An ultra violet light source A37 is included and positioned adjacent the clothes tumbler 30. The purpose of this light is for sterilization of the garments being dried.

The apertures in the tumbling drum 30 also serve to drain off all excess moisture such as may occur in articles of clothing that have not been Wrung'. The dripping through the tumbler 30 is caught in the moisture chamber 80. The collectors 81, 81a, Sib, 81C, and 81d, with the assistance of the deectors 84, 84a, 84h, and 84e, cause the water to fall into the drip pans 83, 83a, 83h, 83C, and 83d. The ho-t air passing upwardly from the heater 2t) passes around the plurality of water collectors 'and quickly evaporates the water therein. It iis seen then that with the moisture chamber 80 a water drain for the dryer is eliminated-and yet extremely wet articles may be inserted in the tumbler 30 for immediate drying. The number of collectors, deflectors and drip pans are, of course, only exemplary and may be varied.

As pointed out above, it is many times desirable for women to have their hair dried quickly to avoid an inconvenience and further expense of setting. The hot air chamber `40 nds further utility in the present invention with the -hair dryer vent 50. Entering into the hot air chamber 40 is the telescoping pair internal tube-like housing or structure 51 and 52. The outer tube 51 is xed to the housing and adapted to receive the inner housing 52 in close sliding engagement. The outer housing 51 on one side thereof-preferably on the undersidehas a plurality of openings 56. Alternatively, the openings 56 may be a single slot-like opening. The size of the openings and also the number of openings, 'is in direct proportion to the size of the chamber 40 and the size of the vent 50. In other words, the size of the openings is directly related to how fast it is desired to drain -off the hot air from the chamber 40. Again, it may be desirable to have a variation between a slow drain and a fast drain of the hot air into the vent 50. In this regard, a tapered slot 56a, such as shown in FIGURE 5, may be utilized. The inner housing is open at its end 53 and therefore permits the air received through the exposed opening 56 to pass out through the hose 55.

At the open end 54 a lip is provided in order to receive the hot air hose 55. This may include either a press t arrangement or a spring detent arrangement. The hot air hose, in turn, will have at its other end a exible airtight cap adapted to be placed over the head.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4 there is shown a somewhat more detailed arrangement that illustrates the operability of the hair dryer of the present invention. Basically, the air exhaust is ganged in operation with the hair dryer; i.e., the exhaust 6() is shut when the hair vent is open forcing the hot air to enter the aperture S6 `and into the end of the inner vent 52. The inner vent 52 is slidably engageable with the outer vent 51. In this way, as the inner vent 52 is pulled out, more of the openings 56 in the bottom of outer vent 56 are exposed. Also, when the yinner vent 52 is pushed all the way in (retracted) the end of the inner vent 52 engages the spring-like seal thereby shutting off all exhaust through the hair dryer vent 50. The end 53 of the hair dryer vent also includes a contact switch to turn on the heater and the blower E7-but not the tumbler. To assure proper over-al1 exhaust of the hot air for the dryer, the inner vent 52 is connected by a shaft 98 at the upper end 91. A slot in the `upper side of vent 51 permits the free movement of the nipple joint 91. To achieve a yiner adjustment in the control of the hot air into the hair d-ryer, the shaft 98 is shown in FIGURE 4 as connected to the exhaust 60 and the inner vent 52 through a gear arrangement 92 also connected to a control knob.

Although certain and specific embodiments are shown, variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A heat chamber as described comprising, an outer housing having la centrally located section, a high air and moisture impervious tumbler adapted to receive wet articles positioned within said section, and means to rotate said tumbler; a moisture chamber Within said housing positioned below said central section, a moisture collector in said chamber positioned directly beneath said tumbler and adapted to receive moisture passing through said tumbler; a heater in the lowermost portion of sa-id housing positioned to radiate heat upwardly through said moisture collectors and said tumbler; a heat chamber in the uppermost region of said housing and positioned opposite of said tumbler with respect to said heater, a first opening in said heater chamber, an air drawing means positioned over said opening and operable to draw said radiated heat from said heater through said moisture chamber and said tumbler, a second opening operable to exhaust the hot air from the heat chamber, means to control the operability of said heater in relation to the temperature of the air in said chamber; and a hot air vent also positioned in said heat chamber further comprising an internal housing having means to pass the hot air thereto, and adjustable means to vent the hot air passing into said internal housing to the degree of preventing said air from being vented to complete venting.

2. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said moist-ure chamber comprises a collector having a drip pan for receiving said moisture, said drip pan in heat radiating relationship to said heater.

3. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said moisture chamber comprises an integrally formed collector, deilector and drip pan in heat radiating relationship to said heater.

4. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 3 wherein said collector, deflector and drip pan each further comprises a plurality.

S. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said central tumbler section further comprises heat deectors for directing said hot air through said tumbler, Iand means for sterilizing said section.

6. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hot air vent further comprises means for ganging said adjustable vent with said hot air chamber exhaust.

7. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hot air vent adjustable vent means comprises a variable opening in said internal housing.

8. A heat chamber as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hot air vent internal housing comprises a pair of telescoping tube-like structures, Ia variable opening in the outer of said housing and an opening in the inner housing adapted to receive the hot air passing through said opening to vent the same.

vReferences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,827,276 3/1958 Racheter 34-91 X 2,856,700 10/1958 Wales 34-91 3,157,475 11/1964 Stainbrook 34-91 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. WILLIAM F. ODEA, Examiner.'

D. A. TAMBURRO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HEAT CHAMBER AS DESCRIBED COMPRISING, AN OUTER HOUSING HAVING A CENTRALLY LOCATED SECTION, A HIGH AIR AND MOISTURE IMPERVIOUS TUMBLER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE WET ARTICLES POSITIONED WITHIN SAID SECTION, AND MEANS TO ROTATE SAID TUMBLER; A MOISTURE CHAMBER WITHIN SAID HOUSING POSITIONED BELOW SAID CENTRAL SECTION, A MOISTURE COLLECTOR IN SAID CHAMBER POSITIONED DIRECTLY BENEATH SAID TUMBLER AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MOISTURE PASSING THROUGH SAID TUMBLER; A HEATER IN THE LOWERMOST PORTION OF SAID HOUSING POSITIONED TO RADIATE HEAT UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID MOISTURE COLLECTORS AND SAID TUMBLER; A HEAT CHAMBER IN THE UPPERMOST REGION OF SAID HOUSING AND POSITIONED OPPOSITE OF SAID TUMBLER WITH RESPECT TO SAID HEATER, A FIRST OPENING IN SAID HEATER CHAMBER, AN AIR DRAWING MEANS POSITIONED OVER SAID OPENING AND OPERABLE TO DRAW SAID RADIATED HEAT FROM SAID HEATER THROUGH SAID MOISTURE CHAMBER AND SAID TUMBLER, A SECOND OPENING OPERABLE TO EXHAUST THE HOT AIR FROM THE HEAT CHAMBER, MEANS TO CONTROL THE OPERABILITY OF SAID HEATER IN RELATION TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR IN SAID CHAMBER; AND A HOT AIR VENT ALSO POSITIONED IN SAID HEAT CHAMBER FURTHER COMPRISING AN INTERNAL HOUSING HAVING MEANS TO PASS THE HOT AIR THERETO, AND ADJUSTABLE MEANS TO VENT THE HOT AIR PASSING INTO SAID INTERNAL HOUSING TO THE DEGREE OF PREVENTING SAID AIR FROM BEING VENTED TO COMPLETE VENTING. 